Nowadays, using public transport has become really impossible. With the deteriorating condition of road traffic, public transport nowadays takes much longer to get anywhere. That’s why many people nowadays are arranging their own transport even if it is difficult. And when it comes to private transport, the first thing that comes to mind is the bicycle or motorcycle, which is a favorite mode of transportation in many middle-class countries like ours. Besides these, electric bikes have also emerged as a prospective option. With that note, we will discuss here how to buy an electric bike.
Why Would You Buy an Electric Bike?
There are few different types of e-bikes available in the market. So, you will need to decide your purpose first. And based on that, you can choose your bike from mountain, cruiser, commuting bike. Usually, cruisers and commuters are used for the regular roads. On the other hand, mountain bikes are perfect for the hilly tracks.
Further, you also need to know the features you want most. For example, if you prioritize comfort, you can select the step-through frame. If you are a traveler and climbing hills is crucial, a high torque hub motor or middle motor system will be the best to buy. If you ride long distances often, you can try a bike with 400 watts or more. Therefore, understanding your needs is the first step to buying an e-bike.
Read: A Beginner’s Guide to Electric Bikes: Everything you Need to Know
How to Pick an Electric Bicycle?
Choose Class
When you go shopping for ebikes, you will find three class types. Choosing the right class is important because it will determine how you should ride the bike and serve your purpose. Normally, there are three classes for e-bikes. Class 1 comes with a 20-mph limit with the hell of a motor and pedal. So, the motor assistance will allow you to ride up to 20 mph speed. Class 2 has a throttle, and it also allows a 20 mph limit, but unlike class 1, you don’t need pedaling to boost the speed. Finally, class 3, which allowed 28 mph speed and offered a speedometer to measure the speed.
Usually, most e-bikes are categorized under class 1 and class 3. So, understand your needs and decide the class according to that.
Read Motorcycle Categories: Different Types of Motorbikes Explained
Try Several Bikes
It is not recommended to buy a bike without looking at the available options. Therefore, try to test riding multiple bikes before choosing the final one. Perhaps it is the most important part as well as the fun part. With the several tests, you can pick the right one as per your requirements.
Weight
Weight plays a bigger role when it comes to the day-to-day use of an e-bike. Since the motor helps a lot riding the bike, so weigh what you require to measure the ride experience. So, if you want to lift or carry it, you should take a closer look at weight. Furthermore, if you want to transport the bike by car, you will also need to buy a rack for that. So, keeping all these in mind, buying a lightweight bike will be useful. On the other hand, if you don’t need to transport or carry, you may don’t need to worry about the weight. But if you think about comfort, lightweight is recommended.
Read: Electric Bike vs Regular Bike: Which One You Should Pick?
Warranty
Since e-bikes are a combination of manual and electric motors, you would want to have warranties for the parts. So, a two-year warranty on motor, parts, and battery is normal to expect. On top of that, some companies may offer free servicing for a certain period, which may also fall under warranty. Thus, know the warranty terms and conditions before you buy an e-bike.
Check the Quality
The quality of the construction and the way the bike was built are necessary to determine the after-purchase service to keep your bike in perfect condition. With good quality materials, your bike should last 5 to 10 years through a minimum regular service. In this way, the battery should last for a 600 to 800 full charge cycle. Besides, the quality will also let you know when you can expect to replace the battery.
However, understanding the motor and batteries is important to know the quality of your e-bike. So, it would be better to do your homework regarding these before you select your model and brand.
Read Motorcycle Loans in Bangladesh: Turning Your Two-wheeler Dream into Reality
Motor Location
Usually, motors are located in the frame. However, it doesn’t affect the performance, but it does matter or the looks. So, the motor’s location is worth bearing in mind when it comes to the style. That is why some of the best e-bike motor manufacturers, such as Fazua, Bosch, and Shimano, tend to make their motors located in between the cranks. Placing on the cranks makes the bike easier to balance and provides a comfortable ride. However, this doesn’t mean that it is the only good option. Other designs are not bad either. It all depends on the riders' perspective.
Buy Local
You will find many brands and models in the market. Buying a renowned branded bike is recommended, but it has some issues too. For example, parts and accessories might not be available locally. Therefore, you might face a problem if you need to repair something. That is why buying from the local brand is highly recommended as several local brands are making e-bikes. You can assume that the parts and the mechanic for the local bikes will be available even after a decade.
Read Motorbike Buyer Guide: Some popular models with price in Bangladesh in 2021
Price
The price of electric bicycles depends on the brand, facilities, quality, etc. In our country, most of the bikes are imported from China and available at low prices. E-bike prices may range from Tk. 25,000 to 1 Lakh. However, more expensive bikes are also there too. If this price range is too expensive for you, you can convert your regular bike to an electric bike too. In this case, your cost will be around 7-10 thousand taka.
Final Words
There is no problem with using electric bikes. However, most of the users of this technology are middle-class people. In that sense, the price may seem much higher. Considering all these minor inconveniences, electric bikes are a great blessing for both us and our environment, just like hybrid cars or electric cars. We hope this discussion would help you to find the right e-bike.